Net migration rise sparks fears of new clampdown

By John Morgan. Visa applications from overseas students seeking to study at universities are up 4 per cent despite the government’s toughening of the visa regime. However, today’s quarterly migration figures – from the Office for National Statistics – also show a rise in net migration thanks to a fall in the number of people emigrating from the UK. That may prompt the government to further tighten the rules for overseas students in a bid to meet its target of reducing net migration to the “tens of thousands” by 2015.  The figures suggest that the further education and schools sectors, rather than higher education, have borne the brunt of the government’s visa crackdown. More...